African American civilrights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson has called on all former anti-apartheidforces to assist the people of Zimbabwe find a way out of their currentpolitical crisis. Jackson, who is president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, alsourged President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai todemonstrate their commitment to peace through negotiation. He has even offerhimself, if need be, to help bring about what he called the restoration ofgrowth in Zimbabwe.
Jackson told VOA heis aggrieved by the suffering of the Zimbabwean people.
"Weare pained, given the tremendous role that Zimbabwe played in liberatingsouthern Africa from colonial rule. Now we must work diligently, together withPresident Mugabe and Mr. Tsvangirai to get Zimbabwe back into a reconstructionmode again," he said.
Jacksoncalled on all anti-apartheid forces to assist the people of Zimbabwefind a way out of their current political crisis.
"If this were a white regimein Zimbabwe seen as holding up an election, the world would cry out to ask forfairness and open, free fair election without violence so we can again begin toget resources back into Zimbabwe to reduce inflation, to revive the economy.Zimbabweans need food and health and housing and capacity to restart theireconomy," Jackson said.
He said statements last weekby South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) that Zimbabweans begiven the chance to resolve their own political crisis is contrary to what theANC asked the world for when it was fighting to end white minority rule.
"That is inconsistent withwhat ANC asked of the world when they under apartheid. ANC asked the world tohelp, and the U.S. Congress passed action against apartheid in South Africa. Wehad demonstrations around the world against apartheid South Africa. So thereare some crises that cannot be left to isolation into their own device. SouthAfrica of course shares border with Zimbabwe, and there are some diplomaticsensitivities, but I hope ANC would see itself playing a more aggressive rolein bringing about a plan to reconciliation and growth in Zimbabwe," he said.
Jackson called on leaders ofthe Southern African Development Community (SADC), who are holding an emergencymeeting Wednesday in the Swaziland capital Mbabane, to make a choice againstviolence and tyranny.
"I recommend to reach out toPresident Mugabe and the opposition leader and urge that we mobilize otherleaders of substance who care to try to do our very best to get them on thetrack of reconciliation and security and economic growth," Jackson said.
Some Africans have accusedthe West of duplicity when it comes to promoting democracy in Africa. They saidsome Western countries did not speak out openly about elections in some Africancountries which the opposition there had characterized as fraudulent.
Jackson agreed that someWestern voices have not been loud enough about elections in other countrieswhere the opposition there had complained about irregularities. But he saidAfricans should not look for a reason not to work for peace.
"We should notstand idly by and by some romantic notion of friendship be too weak to take astand for openness, fairness and democracy for all of the people. If the AU(African Union) cannot resolve this crisis, it weakens itself by its inaction.If it cannot address in a meaningful way Zimbabwe, it cannot address in ameaningful way the Congo, Kenya, or Liberia, or Ethiopia, or any place else onthe continent," Jackson said.
He added his voice to theinternational cry that any election without the participation of the oppositionMovement for Democratic Change cannot be meaningful.
Jackson said itis time for leaders to step forward to help build a bridge over Zimbabwe'stroubled waters. He said if need be, he's willing to make himself available tohelp bring about what he called the restoration of growth in Zimbabwe.